Buckle



March 23, .1943. L A STR/Ts 2,314,859y

I BUCKLE Filed June 19, 1942 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 23, 1943 UNITEDSTATES artnr orties (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amendedApril 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a buckle, and has for an object to provide animproved buckle especially adapted for use on a pneumatic life-savingbelt.

It is an object of this invention to provide a buckle which may be usedin connection with a pneumatic life-saving belt so as to adjust the sizeof the belt to the individual wearing the same Without any danger ofpuncturing the belt and destroying its efficiency for life-savingpurposes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a belt buckle which maygrip the pneumatic tube of the life-saving belt in such a fashion thatthere is no danger of iniuring the tube, while at the same time it holdsthe tube securely so that it may remain properly about the body of thewearer. I

A further object of this invention is to provide a buckle for alife-saving belt wherein the buckle will hold the belt securely inposition about the body of the wearer and which may be easily andquickly operated when the belt is to be iniiated so as to permit thebelt to enlarge under pressure of iniation, and at the same timeincrease its diameter so that it may move from the waist portion to aposition about the chest under the arms of the wearer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a belt buckle that maybe made inexpensively, being preferably formed of flat sheet metal,suitably stamped and pressed to the desired shape, thus providingsimplicity and low cost of construction and assembly. Although sheetmetal is the easiest and simplest. material to be used, it will beobvious that the belt may be formed of any other Suitable material,including moldable plastics.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists inthe construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed and illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of a fragment of a pneumatic life-beltwith the buckle of this invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, with the buckle leverin released position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 8, but with thebuckle lever in clamping position.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view similar to Fig. l of a slightly modifiedform of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a partly edge view of Fig. 4.

There is shown at Iii a hollow tube forming the pneumatic life belt tcWhich the buckle il of this invention is to be applied. This buckle Iiincludes a base I2 of' a length slightly greater than the width of thebelt I5 and is provided With a pair of upstanding ears I3. Extendingsubstantially centrally of the base I2 between earsl3 is a roundeddepression I4. Pivoted on the ears I3 by means of integrally extendingpintles vI5 journaled in suitably aligned apertures I6 is the bucklelever I'I provided with a handle nger I8.

It will be observed from Figs. 2 and 3 that the apertures I6 in the earsI3 are located substantially centrally of the depression I4. The bucklelever I'I extends somewhat beyond the pintles I 5 and terminates in arounded portion 20, this rounded portion 20 thus rotating aboutthevpintles I5 and apertures I6 as a center when the buckle lever I'I israised by means of its handle :linger I8. The belt II) extends over thebase I2 above the rounded depression I4 and below the rounded portion 20of buckle lever Il. When the buckle lever I'I is raised, as shown inFig. 2, the rounded portion 20 is raised above the belt I and leaves itfree to slide over the base l2, but when the lever I8 is brought to thepositionv shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rounded portion 23 presses the top4of belt IIl rmly Vinto the depression I4, holding the 4belt againstmovement therethrough. i

The ears I3 are provided witha second pair Vof aligned apertures 2I inwhich are journaled pintles 22 of a buckle hook 23. This buckle hook 23is provided with an extending hook iinger 24 having a hook portion 25adapted to cooperate with a bail member 26. The bail member 26 isprovided with a central recess 21 for keeping the hook portion 25centralized. The bail member 25 is adapted to be secured in the otherclosed end of the belt I0, this closed end of the belt Il) being securedabout the cross bar 23 of the bail member In the form of the inventionshown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, instead of having a separate buckle hookpivoted on the ears I3, there is provided a buckle hook 3 I whichintegrally extends from the base I2. Ihis buckle hook 3I is providedwith a reverse hook shaped portion 32 to cooperate with an eye 33 in thetongue 34 extending from a bail member secured to the Closed end of thelife belt. In this form the buckle lever I'I is identical inconstruction and operation with that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and nodetailed description thereof is therefore deemed necessary. To insureagainst accidental separation of the buckle hook from its bail eye, thebuckle hook is provided with a raised boss 35, while the hook portion 25and hook portion 32 are each provided with an upwardly extending edge 36cooperating therewith.

In operation, the hook portion is placed through the eye of the bailmember and then the buckle is drawn tightly, the buckle lever I1 beingheld in the raised position shown in Fig. 2 while this is being done.The buckle lever l1 is then lowered to the position of Figs. 1 and 3,thus holding ythe belt in position about the Waist of the wearer. Whenready to inflate the belt for operation, in any conventional manner asby lung inflation or by carbon dioxide capsules, the finger piece israised, releasing rounded portion 20 out of contact with the belt l0 andpermitting it t slide through the buckle as the belt is inated after thewearer is in the waten This permits the belt to be inflated and at thesame time permits its diameter to increase, whereupon the belt iloatsupwardly to a position under the arm of the wearer, thus supporting lthewearer in good floating position with head out of the water.

The end of the belt, not shown, is closed and provided with anenlargement of any suitable nature, preventing the end from slidingthrough the belt.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangement ofthe parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing fromthe nature of the invention, within the scope of what is hereinafterclaimed.

The invention described herein may be manufaotured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, whatis claimed is:

1. A device for adjustably fastening an easily puncturable inflatablebelt consisting of a buckle comprising a base member having a transverserounded depression therein strengthening the base member againstbending, upstanding ears at the ends of said base member, a clampinglever, a rounded portion on the end of said lever, pintle means on saidclamping lever for pivoting said clamping lever in said upstanding earsof said base member with said rounded portion eccentric lto saidpivoting means, whereby said clamping lever will move said roundedportion to and from cooperating position with the transverse depressionin the base member to clamp the belt therebetween, hook means extendingfrom said base member, and a hook cooperating bail member adapted to besecured to an end of the tube.

2. A device for adjustably fastening an easily puncturable iniiatablebelt consisting of a buckle comprising a base member having a transverserounded depression therein strengthening the base member againstbending, upstanding ears at the ends of said base member, a clampinglever, a rounded portion on the end of said lever, pintle means on saidclamping lever for pivoting said clamping lever in said upstanding earsof said base member with said rounded portion eccentric to said pivotingmeans, whereby said clamping lever will move said rounded portion to andfrom cooperating position with the transverse depression in the basemember to clamp the belt therebetween, hook means extending from saidbase member, and a hook cooperating bail member adapted to be secured toan end of the tube, said hook being pivoted to said upstanding ears ofsaid base member.

3. A device for adjustably fastening an easily puncturable inflatablebelt consisting of a buckle comprising a base member having a transverserounded depression therein strengthening the base member againstbending, upstanding ears at the ends of said base member, a clampinglever, a rounded portion on the end of said lever, pintle means on saidclamping lever for pivoting said clamping lever in said upstanding earsof said base member with said rounded portion eccentric to said pivotingmeans, whereby said clamping lever will move said rounded portion to andfrom cooperating position with the transverse depression in the basemember to clamp the belt therebetween, hook means integrally extendingfrom said base member, and a hook cooperating bail member adapted to besecured to an end of the tube.

LLOYD A. STRAITS.

